Before the second season of ‘American Idol’ starts, *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake has a dire warning for the contestants. “I hope something incredible comes out of it for these kids,” he tells Interview magazine. “But I think there’s something satanic about that show, as if they’re herding them like cattle: ‘You will sing what we tell you to sing.'” Asked if he’d recommend it, Timberlake said, “Oh, hell no. Hell to the N-O. We went through all that bullsh** with Lou Pearlman. We’ve been in that situation where you’re just so happy to be doing what you love to do that you get taken advantage of.”

Simon Cowell Attends Newsmakers Luncheon

January 17, 2003 – ‘American Idol’ judge Simon Cowell attended the Hollywood Radio and Television Society’s Newsmakers Luncheon on Thursday (January 16) at the Regent Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California. The event featured a panel discussion by producers and stars of reality television shows.

Ryan Seacrest Gets Treated To Unwanted Idol Audition

January 17, 2003 – The National Enquirer reports ‘American Idol’ host Ryan Seacrest was minding his own business standing in line at a hot dog stand in Los Angeles when a girl treated him to an impromptu audition for the hit Fox show. After she burst into song and dance, Ryan tried to get her to stop, but she wouldn’t. He finally left the line and jumped in his car, the wannabe giving chase, to eat somewhere else.

Idol Auditioners Fire Back At Simon

January 15, 2003 – Hollywood is a tough town, and this time, American Idol judge Simon Cowell wasn’t the only one dishing the disses. One hopeful told ‘Extra’, “At least I’m from a country where people brush their teeth twice a day.”

Fox Needs A Hit With ‘American Idol 2’

January 13, 2003 – Dave Karger of Entertainment Weekly previewed the new season of ‘American Idol’, which needs to be a hit for Fox, who has had a tough year in the ratings department, and got burned with the second season of its last reality series, ‘Temptation Island’. They also have ‘Star Search’ up against them, but Simon Cowell isn’t impressed. The judge told EW, “That show has a problem. Music in its barest form on television is about as boring as you can get. To put people on without any controversy or good versus evil, it will not work.” Read more.